APA Style Guidelines

Overview of APA Style

• APA (American Psychological Association) style is a set of guidelines for writing and formatting academic papers, particularly in the social sciences.
• APA style is commonly used in fields such as psychology, education, business, and health sciences.

Key Features of APA Style

• Double-spacing: All text, including the title page, abstract, and body, should be double-spaced.
• Font and size: Use a clear, legible font (e.g., 12-point Times New Roman) throughout the document.
• Margins: Leave 1-inch margins on all sides (top, bottom, left, and right).
• Indentation: Use a half-inch indentation for the first line of each paragraph.

APA Citation Style

• In-text citations: Use author-date format, with the author's last name and year of publication in parentheses, e.g., (Smith, 2020).
• Reference list: List all sources cited in the text at the end of the document, in alphabetical order by author's last name.
• Citation types: APA style has specific guidelines for citing different types of sources, including:
  • Books
  • Journal articles
  • Online sources
  • Conference proceedings
  • Theses and dissertations

Common APA Reference Formats

• Book:
  • Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher.
  • Example: Smith, J. (2020). The psychology of learning. Routledge.
• Journal article:
  • Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), pp.-pp.
  • Example: Johnson, K. (2020). The effects of sleep on cognitive function. Journal of Sleep Research, 29(2), 123-135.
• Online source:
  • Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day of publication). Title of webpage. Title of website. Retrieved from
  • Example: World Health Organization. (2020, January 15). Mental health. Retrieved from

Other APA Style Guidelines

• Headings and subheadings: Use a hierarchical system of headings and subheadings to organize the paper.
• Tables and figures: Use clear and concise labels and captions for tables and figures.
• Abbreviations: Define abbreviations when first used, and use them consistently throughout the paper.

APA Style Overview

• APA style is a set of guidelines for writing and formatting academic papers, especially in social sciences.

Key Features of APA Style

• All text should be double-spaced.
• Use a clear, legible font (e.g., 12-point Times New Roman) throughout the document.
• Leave 1-inch margins on all sides (top, bottom, left, and right).
• Use a half-inch indentation for the first line of each paragraph.

APA Citation Style

• Use author-date format for in-text citations, with the author's last name and year of publication in parentheses (e.g., Smith, 2020).
• List all sources cited in the text in a reference list at the end of the document, in alphabetical order by author's last name.
• APA style has specific guidelines for citing different types of sources, including books, journal articles, online sources, conference proceedings, and theses and dissertations.

Common APA Reference Formats

Books

• Format: Author, A.A.(Year).Title of book.Publisher.
• Example: Smith, J.(2020).The psychology of learning.Routledge.

Journal Articles

• Format: Author, A.A.(Year).Title of article.Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), pp.-pp.
• Example: Johnson, K.(2020).The effects of sleep on cognitive function.Journal of Sleep Research, 29(2), 123-135.

Online Sources

• Format: Author, A.A.(Year, Month Day of publication).Title of webpage.Title of website.Retrieved from
• Example: World Health Organization.(2020, January 15).Mental health.Retrieved from

Other APA Style Guidelines

• Use a hierarchical system of headings and subheadings to organize the paper.
• Use clear and concise labels and captions for tables and figures.
• Define abbreviations when first used, and use them consistently throughout the paper.